KUPREŠKIĆ TO HEAR THE CHARGES ON 16 JANUARY

( Editorial: --> 2643 ) The H+ague, 6 January (Hina) - Bosnian Croat Vlatko Kupreškić will first appear in front of the International War Crimes Tribunal (ICTY) on 16 January 1998, announced ICTY on Tuesday. Vlatko Kupreškić, born in 1958,was an HVO soldier. He was indicted for participation in attacks on civilians in the village of Ahmici on 16 April 1993. Kupreškić was arrested on 18 December in an action by SFOR and transferred to ICTY's custody on the same day. Considering that he was wounded during arrest, he spent some time at the hospital of the Schveningen prison in The Hague. Since then his health has improved,and he is capable of appearing in front of the judicial council to say whether he understands the charges and whether he pleads guilty. Vlatko Kupreškić is one of the indictees in ICTY's case "Kupreškić and others", opened on 10 November 1995 for "prosecution of Bosnian Muslims on political, racial and religious grounds in Lašva valley (central Bosnia)during 1993". (hina) jn mr 061953 MET jan 98